1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt-like article and a product-storing bag as well as a hanging device for various kinds of objects using the same belt-like article.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, it has been well known to obtain a storage body for small objects by attaching fastening elements of a slide fastener or male/female fastening elements for snap engagement continuously on an entire periphery of a thick tape body and spirally engaging the opposing fastening elements with each other, which is disclosed by, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 57-47921, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 57-20210, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-174416, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-20415 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,983.
According to these publications, a length of the aforementioned belt-like article and a first position in which the corresponding fastening elements are engaged with each other may be changed so that various shapes of storage bodies, such as a triangular pyramid, a rectangular box, an elongated prism having a rectangular section or the like can be obtained.
However, the storage bodies disclosed in the above described publications have been invented in order to achieve an unexpectedness that they are obtained by successively engaging the fastening elements attached continuously along a periphery of the belt-like article having the above-described structure successively. This belt-like article does not have any other special function than being employed as an ordinary waist belt. Therefore, an interest in such an unexpectedness is likely to be lost in a short period, and it did not lead to a continuing application. Thus, this belt-like article has not been developed to get to a practically usable stage.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a belt-like article which not only has an unexpectedness but also can be employed for practically meaningful purposes in which an application as the belt-like article and an application as a storage body for various objects are functionally combined with each other, and various kinds of products intimately and functionally related with the belt-like article.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a belt-like article having fastening elements continuously attached along an entire periphery of a long tape main body, further comprising: engaging means having engaging portions capable of engaging with/disengaging from each other, provided at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction of the tape main body. The xe2x80x9centire peripheryxe2x80x9d of the tape mentioned in this specification does not mean a completely entire periphery of the tape main body, but includes a case where the there is a portion having no fastening element. Further, it also includes a case where the engaging means having the engaging portions serve to engage front faces or rear faces of the belt-like article, as well as a case where the engaging means serve to engage the front face with the rear face.
The belt-like article of the present invention has a conventionally known basic structure. That is, it comprises a tape main body of a predetermined length and fastening elements disposed continuously along the entire periphery thereof. The tape main body is made of a knitted tape, an unwoven tape, a tape made of a synthetic resin sheet or a tape made of natural leather or synthetic leather. The fastening element used in the present invention may be the one that is to be attached to an ordinary slide fastener, a snap button made of metal or synthetic resin having an ordinary structure, or a snapping device which is composed of a combination of female or socket-like and male or plug-like fastening elements, these fastening elements being pressed to or inserted into each other so as to be engaged with each other by snap action.
Further, according to the present invention, the above mentioned fastening elements may be a plurality of male and female fastening elements, and compose a surface fastener provided with engaging members for making plane contact with each other by being pressed, the engaging members having a plurality of male and/or female engaging elements.
The belt-like article having such a structure according to the present invention is characterized in that there are provided the engaging means, which can engage with or disengage from each other, at predetermined positions in the longitudinal direction of the aforementioned tape main body.
The belt-like article of the present invention having such a structure may be hung around a neck as a ring-like neck strap in a state where the engaging means being engaged with each other. The neck strap may be used as an accessory, or may be used for hanging a portable phone or the like on the neck strap by inserting the neck strap through an end portion of a narrow strap attached to the portable phone or the like. Then, if it is intended to store the portable phone or the like, the belt-like article is wound spirally about a region of a predetermined length at an end portion of the belt-like article so as to engage opposing fastening elements successively, thereby producing a storage body for an object. That is, the belt-like article serves to be not only a storage case for an object but also a hanging device for such an object, so that it has both functions for carrying the object and as an assisting device during use thereof.
It is preferable that the tape main body has a covering body capable of covering/exposing the engaging portion of the engaging means disposed on a rear face thereof. As for the engaging means disposed at predetermined positions in the longitudinal direction of the belt-like article, the engaging portion of one of the engaging means is exposed on the rear face side of the tape main body. If said engaging portion is made of metal, it may abut or make a sliding contact with an object stored inside when the belt-like article is used as an object storage case. As a result, the surface of the object may be damaged when being thus contacted.
Thus, according to the present invention, if it is intended to use the belt-like article as a storage body for example, the engaging portion of the engaging means exposed on the rear face of the tape is covered with a covering body. On the other hand, if it is intended to use the belt-like article as a neck strap for example, the covering body is removed so that the belt-like article can be provided with a function as the engaging means. The covering body may be composed of, for example, a surface fastener with a female tape piece having a plurality of fine loop-like fastening elements provided on a surface of a female member. An end of the female tape piece is attached to a rear face of the tape main body adjacently to the engaging portion. A male tape piece having a plurality of fine hook-like fastening elements on a surface thereof is attached on an opposite side of the engaging portion on the rear face of the tape main body.
Further, according to the present invention, it is preferable that a short strip-like tape piece is attached to the surface of the tape main body. The short strip-like tape piece may be completely attached thereto by sewing, or may be attached so as to be detachable by means of, for example, a snap button.
If the short strip-like tape piece is attached to the belt-like tape main body of the belt-like article, when the belt-like article is used as the storage body, for example, a belt may be inserted into a space formed between the tape piece and the surface of the tape main body so as to hold the storage body. Therefore, when the belt with the storage body is put on a waist portion, the storage body can be held at the waist portion. As a result, such a small object as a portable phone, a lighter or the like can be held at the waist portion and carried without being bulky.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, at least one of the engaging means has a joint device for joining another object. Consequently, another object can be joined to the belt-like article by the joint device. For example, with the engaging means provided in a center of the tape main body being engaged with the other engaging means having no joint device, it is possible to hung the belt-like article around the neck and carry another object. Alternatively, when the engaging means are provided at both end portions of the belt-like article and then, joint devices are attached to the engaging means respectively, for example, the joint devices may be attached to temples of glasses, so that the belt-like article may be hung around the neck as a glasses holding strap.
As evident from the above description, the belt-like article of the present invention may be sold independently. If any object is sold in combination with the belt-like article, a consumer would not have to buy a neck strap and a storage case independently of the object. Further, the belt-like article can be employed for diversified purposes in accordance with the kinds of the objects.